... And all of these things will help you turn attendees into paying clients!

But here's the thing: You need to take a few things into consideration when planning your free talk, in order to convert your attendees. That's why we asked Marketing Strategist, Amy Lippmann from Marketing for Health Coaches, to share her proven formula for giving a free talk that will get you paying clients.

Ready to get the ball rolling on your next free talk? Here are the five steps Amy recommends that you follow:

Step #1: Find Places That Will Draw a Crowd to Your Talks

Amy explains that one of the most common fears wellness professionals have when giving a free talk is that no one will show up. One sure way to avoid this, is to give your talk at a place that will do most of the promotion for you.

"The best place for you to give talks are at venues your target clients frequent, and that have a large following that they can promote the talk to."

Choose a venue that has a built-in audience, and a way of marketing the event to them. This could be through their email list or social media, or through word-of-mouth as their clients come in.

"Give talks to groups that have regular meetings and places that have a track record of hosting talks that people attend."

Take Action: Brainstorm places in your community where your ideal clients hang out. This could be yoga studios, women's groups, corporations or kitchen stores like Williams Sonoma. Make a list of at least 10 venues.

Step #2: Choose a Compelling Topic

Another big mistake wellness professionals make when giving a free talk is making it too generic. Amy says you really want to avoid giving a "one size fits all" talk, where you discuss health and wellness in a general way. Instead, get very specific with your topic.

It's common to think that the broader the topic, the more people you will attract. But it's actually the complete opposite!

"When you give a talk that’s too broad or vague, it won’t resonate with your audience."

To avoid this mistake, Amy recommends choosing a very specific and compelling topic.

"Your topic should speak to your ideal client in a way that really piques their interest. Do this by relating it to the main challenge they’re experiencing. For example, if your clients struggle with sugar cravings and their weight, you can title your talk 'Struggling with Nagging Sugar Cravings? How to Lose Weight Even if You Don’t Have any Willpower.' "

Take Action: Choose the topic of your talk, and ensure it is compelling and will speak to the needs of your ideal client. Then reach out to the 5 places you chose in Step #1, share the topic for your talk and explain why it will provide value to their community.

Step #3: Give Your Audience Value, But Don’t Overwhelm Them!

It can be super tempting to pack a ton of information into your talk, and share all of your expertise. But doing this may overwhelm your audience.

"If your audience finds your talk overwhelming, they may feel like they can’t possibly tackle their health concerns and won’t be as likely to want to work with you."

In order to avoid this, Amy suggests focusing on 3 to 5 teaching points.

"For each teaching point, be sure to focus on the 'why'. Always ask yourself – why does it matter to them? This will help your talk really connect with your audience on a personal and emotional level, rather than feeling like they’re sitting in a dry lecture."

Once you've addressed the why, you can then address the "how".

How can they take the information you've given them and start to implement it into their daily lives? Giving your audience advice they can act on will leave them feeling like they got a ton of value from your talk. It will also help them trust you as an expert, and leave them wanting to learn more from you.

Take Action: Choose 3 to 5 teaching points you plan to cover in your talk. Outline why they are important, and how your attendees can start to implement them into their daily lives.

Step #4: Make an Offer

This is probably the most important step, but it often goes unlooked! After you have delivered your talk, it is time to share with your audience how they can get more support and work with you.

"Your offer is a really important part of your talk, so be sure you leave enough time for it. I see a lot of talks and webinars that are so packed with information, coaches barely have time to make their offer. Or, they feel shy about making an offer and they end up breezing right through it."

Not making an offer is doing yourself and your audience a disservice. To avoid this, Amy suggests making one specific offer.

"Make one specific offer that’s relevant to your talk topic, and create urgency by making it time limited."

For example, your offer can be for a free consult that leads to your 1:1 coaching program, or for a group program like a cleanse or detox.

"Align your offer with the topic of your talk. For example, if you’re giving a talk about sugar cravings, you can offer a Sugar Detox or a free consult called 'Ditch Your Cravings and Lose the Weight Breakthrough Session.'"

Take Action: Decide on what you are going to offer at the end of your talk, and what the incentive is going to be to sign up.

Step #5. Follow-Up!

Unfortunately, most sign ups will not happen on the spot. Your attendees will need some time to think over your offer before they commit.

"People often need more information and a few reminders to finally pull the trigger. It’s up to you to send a reminder and keep your offer top of mind once they leave."

Amy recommends that you do this by creating a follow up email series that continues to foster the relationship, adds value, and reminds them of your time-sensitive offer.

Take Action: Write your follow-up email(s) now, so that they are ready to go after your free talk.

So there you have it! Amy's proven formula for giving a free talk that will get you paying clients. Follow these 5 steps and you will be giving epic free talks and booking clients in no time.

To learn more about Amy, and to get more free advice on how you can book more clients, give talks, grow your mailing list and more, click here.